Ice making machine with water distribution means



March 2, 1965 WEISS 3,171,266

ICE MAKING MACHINE WITH WATER DISTRIBUTION MEANS Filed July 6. 1961 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 F|( z mmvron. 11 LOUIS WEISS BY (.0, KM

ATTORNEY WEISS 3, 7 66 ICE MAKING MACHINE WITH WATER DISTRIBUTION MEANS March 2, 1965 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July 6, 1961 ATTORNEY L. WEISS March 2, 1965 ICE MAKING MACHINE WITH WATER DISTRIBUTION MEANS Filed July 6. 1961 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 oconbnoobo 6 0 o 0 0 l O 0 FIG. 4

INVENTOR. LOUIS WEISS ATTORNEY March 2, 1965 1.. WEISS 3,171,266

ICE MAKING MACHINE WITH WATER DISTRIBUTION MEANS Filed July 6. 1961 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 57 (l E f O COMPRESSOR 58 1 EXPANSlON VALVE SOLENOID CONDENSER RECEIVER FIG. 5

INVENTOR.

Q LOUIS WEISS BY w, W

ATTORNEY United States Patent "ice 3,171,266 ICE MAKING MAQHINE WITH WATER DISTRIBUTEGN MEANS Louis Weiss, St. Louis, Mo., assiguor to Weisco Products Corporation, St. Louis, Mo., a corporation of Missouri Filed July 6, 1961, Ser. No. 122,2ti1 3 Claims. ((21. 62-347) This invention relates in general to refrigeration apparains, and, more particularly, to an ice making machine.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an ice making machine incorporating an inclined freezing plate and novel means for effecting water flow over the downwardly directed surface of such plate so as to develop an ice slab of consistent, uniform thickness.

It is another object of the present invention to provide an ice making machine embodying a unique freezing plate integrally having a refrigerant passageway adapted for minimal pressure drop for production on such plate of ice slabs in relatively rapid, economic manner.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide an ice making machine which comprises an ice cutting grid in confrontation to, and beneath, a freezing plate for receiving a slab of ice formed thereon and falling therefrom, said grid being resiliently mounted for absorbing the force of the shock of the received fallen slab.

It is a still further object of the present invention to provide an ice making machine which is a highly compact, well-integrated unit, designed to occupy minimum space and yet having a relatively high productive capacity; which incorporates a simplicity of operating parts adapted for effective, economical operation, not requiring the supervisory attention of an individual but acting in a reliably consistent, automatic manner; which may be produced at relatively low cost, being amenable to highvolume production; and which is durable in usage.

Other objects and details of the invention will be apparent from the following description, when read in connection with the accompanying drawings (four sheets), wherein- FIGURE 1 is a front view of an ice making machine constructed in accordance with and embodying the present invention, illustrating the same with the front wall partially broken away.

FIGURE 2 is a vertical transverse sectional view taken on the line 22 of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 is a horizontal transverse sectional view taken on the line 33 of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 4 is a vertical transverse sectional view taken on the line 44 of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 5 is a schematic diagram of the refrigerating system.

Referring now by reference characters to the drawings which illustrate the preferred embodiment of the present invention, A generally designates an ice making machine comprising a cabinet 1 which may be of any desired size, being dependent upon the desired ice capacity, and which incorporates an upper, insulated portion comprising a front wall 2, top wall 3, rear wall 4, side walls 5, 5' and a base wall 6 for defining a compartment 0; the walls of said insulated portion being formed of an outer shell 7 and an inner liner 8 with insulation material 9 presented therebetween; there being conveniently provided hinged insulated closures 10, 11, as at the front and top, respectively, of said cabinet 1 for facilitating ice removal and for access for inspection and repair purposes, respectively. Said insulated portion is mounted on a chamberforming base section 12 containing elements of the refrigerating system to be described below and having louvers 13 for air flow.

Disposed within the upper, rearward portion of com- 3,171,266 Patented Mar. 2,

partment c is a metallic freezing plate 14 integrally provided with a continuous refrigerating coil or passageway 15 extending transversely back and forth across said plate 14 for heat transfer purposes effective throughout substantially the entire area; said passage 15 is substantially annular in cross section and is bisected by the plane of said plate 14 so that it projects outwardly from both sides thereof (see FIGURE 2). Freezing plate 14 is presented in downwardly and rearwardly inclined position, at an angle of approximately 50 degrees to the vertical, and is supported in such attitude by spaced mounting brackets 16 secured to. upper and lower arms 17, 18, respectively, extending forwardly from rear wall 4.

Spacedly above the upper, forward end of freezing plate 14 is a water distributing device indicated generally at 19, comprising a fiat, horizontal flow plate 20 in transverse relation to compartment c and substantially coextensive with freezing plate 14; said plate 20 being fixed on the forward ends of mounting arms 21 progressing from rear wall 4. Said flow plate 20 in its forward portion is downwardly and rearwardly bent to form a rounded guide surface 22 with the lower margin thereof being welded, or otherwise secured, to a connector plate 23 rigid with the upper portion of the forward or lower face of freezing plate 14 so that continuous flow may be established from flow plate 20 throughout the forward or under face of freezing plate 14. Thus, water discharged on to said plate 20 from distributing device 19 will flow over guide surface 22 and thence downwardly across the under or lower face of freezing plate 14, in the direction of the arrow shown in FIGURE 2.

Above flow plate 20, rearwardly of guide surface 22, water distributing device 19 includes an upwardly opening, trough-like conduit 24 having downwardly converging side walls 25, 25 and a fiat base wall 26 located spacedly above flow plate 20 in planar parallel relationship thereto; and said base wall 26 is perforated at preselected intervals throughout its length to provide a multiplicity of orifices 27 of predetermined diameter for purposes presently appearing. Extending between and suitably secured along its forward and rearward edges to side walls 25, 25' of conduit 24, substantially centrally of its length, and up wardly of base wall 26, is a short, flat dispersion plate 28. Upwardly of dispersion plate 28 and upon the upper end edge of side wall 25 is a rearwardly opening, channelshaped baflle 29 having spaced upper and lower horizontal flanges 3t), 30, respectively, with an intervening vertical web 31; said baffle 29 being located midway the length of conduit 24 and being preferably of less length than dispersion plate .28. Directed toward, and in immediate proximity to, rearward face of web 31 of bafiie 29 for impingement thereagainst of emitted Water, is the discharge end of a pipe 32 which extends rearwardly and thence downwardly to one side of compartment c for connection to the outlet side of a pump 33, as of the impeller type, located laterally of the lower side edge of freezing plate 14. The lower or suction side of pump 33 is disposed within a reservoir 34 having a float valve 35 positioned therein for control of water through an inlet conduit 36 connected to a convenient source of supply (not shown). Extending into reservoir 34 with its lower end adjacent the bottom thereof is one leg 37 of'a siphon 38, the other or outer leg 39 of which is exterior of said reservoir 34 and projects through the bottom wall 6 of compartment 0 for drain purposes.

Provided below the lower, rearward margin of freezing plate 14 is an open return trough 40 for receiving water flowing across the under or lower face of freezing plate 14 for return thereof to reservoir 34, there being a mesh ifi or like straining member in said trough 40 for as removal of any foreign matter or other impurities in the water flowing therein.

It will thus be observed from the foregoing that water will be circulated through the machine in the following path: From pump 33 upwardly through pipe 32 for discharge against web 31 of baifle 29 with the emitted water, through gravity, flowing downwardly onto lower flange 30, thence on to dispersion plate 28 and flowing. from the ends thereof into open conduit 24 for passage'through orifices 27 onto plate 20, over guide surface 22 and then downwardly across the under face of freezing plate 14 for heat transfer purposes to effect the formation of an iceslab thereon; with excess or uncongealed water being received within open trough 40 for return to reservoir 34 for ultimate recirculation by pump 33..

Presented forwardly of freezing plate 14 is an ice slab cutting grid 41 which comprises a rectangular frame 42 for supporting two sets. of spaced-apart resistance wires, 43, 44, the wires of one set being in axial, normal relationship to the wires of the other set for cooperatively defining a plurality of small squares, as considered from top to bottom; the wires of one set being spaced from those of the other (see FIGURE 2). The dimensions of said squares are a matter of choice, as the spacing between the wires of each set may be easily arranged so that the cross-section of ice units, or so-called cubes cut from the slab may be of any desired size. Resistance wires of each set 43, 44 are maintained in constantly heated condition through connection in any conventional manner to a source of electrical energy. The lower rearward end of frame 42, is freely supported upon mounting brackets 45; and at the opposite sides of its upper forward end'said frame 42 is restingly disposed upon coil springs 46 engaged upon fixed brackets 47 for resiliently mounting said frame 42 to permit limited pivotingfabout its lower end with commensurate compression or stressing of said springs 46 upon receiving a slab of ice falling from freezing plate 14, so as to absorb the shock thereof and protect the gridragainst damage. Disposed beneath the lower endrof grid 41 is a drain trough 48 for receiving any water formed upon cutting of an ice slab by wires 43, 44 for return to reservoir 34.

Secured at selected intervals along the lower end portion of the under face of freezing plate 1'4 is a plurality of finger-like rests 49 for abutment upon the upper edge thereof of the lower end of an ice slab formed on said plate 14 to prevent any inadvertent downward sliding of thesame upon defrosting and thereby assuring delivery of the same to grid 41.

As part' of the refrigerating system to be described. be-

ing inclined plates for freezing upon the under face thereof, the primary problem encountered has been the dimculty of obtaining equal distribution of the water for developing an ice slab of uniform thickness.- For reasons which are not wholly understood, water which is insufliciently wet, as so desired in industry, causes certain areas of the freezing plate to remain dry while surrounding areas are fully wetted. Physical spreading of the water has been heretofore the only means for positive wetting of the entire plate area. With the distributing device 19 of the present invention, this problem has been resolved so that water delivered to freezing plate 14 is automatically, unaidedly distributed in a uniform'manner. This desired result is achieved by the novel construction of distributing device 19 wherein it will be noted that 4 upon impingement of water against web 31 of bafile 29 the water is allowed, through its own weight, to descend on to dispersion plate 23 and thence from the ends thereof to drop naturally into open conduit 24 for flow along the entire bottom wall thereof, including the portion beneath said plate 28. The size of orifices 27 is determined with reference to the capacity of pump 33 so that water will be constantly emitted through said orifices 27 at a rate suflicient to prevent overflow of conduit 24 but slow enough to assure fiow throughout said conduit 24 so that all orifices 27 will be supplied. Thus, a steady and continuous stream through the individual orifices 27 will be effected. The .water passing vertically downwardly through any one of orifices 27 on to flow plate 20 will tend to splatter upon plate 26 for merging with water received on said plate from the adjacent orifices and thereby forming a continuous unbroken water layer throughout plate 20 in which state the water will then flow under force of the oncoming water as a sheet over guide surface 22 for blanketing the under face of freezing plate 14 for subjection to the evaporation effected by the refrigerant in passageway 15.

With reference now being made to FIGURE 5 which illustrates schematically the components of the refrigeration system of the present invention, 50 designates a.

motor-driven compressor under constant operation, connected by a sinuous conduit 51 to a condenser 52 which latter is provided with an outlet pipe 53 for connection to a liquid refrigerant receiver or storage tank 54 having an outlet pipe 55 for communication wtih the inlet or lower end of the refrigerant passageway 15 of freezing plate 14; there being a conventional expansion valve 56 located in said pipe 55. The opposite or outlet end of said refrigerant passageway 15 is connected to a conduit 57' for return of the now gasified refrigerant to compressor 59. Thus, during the reezing cycle refrigerant will follow the path above described so as to effect heat transfer from water cascading downwardly upon the under face of freezing plate 14 whereby the same will be caused.

to develop into a uniformly thick slab of ice, substantially covering said under face thereof. The thickness of the slab of ice formed is dependent upon the duration of the freezing period, which is controlled by the operation of a conventional timing device (not shown or forming a part of the present invention) so that after a preselected interval, the said device will effect, through circuitry wellknown in the art, the opening of an operating switch (not shown) to cause pump 33 to discontinue operation for a predetermined period, hence stopping flow of water to and across the now developed ice slab as well as to energize a solenoid valve 58 permitting flow of hot gas from compressor 5t through conduits 51 and 66 to a pipe 61 suitably affixed to the upper side of freezing plate 114.and extending about the sides thereof. Said'pipe 61. communicates with refrigerant passageway 15, by-passing expansion valve 56, so that the hot gas will thence pass through passageway 15 for return to compressor 50' via conduit 57. With the equalization of pressure on opposite sides. of expansion valve 56 by flow of the hot gas, the flow of liquid refrigerant .to plate 14 will be arrested and the hot gas will effect a defrosting for releasing the formed ice slab from the under surface of freezing plate 14, allowing the same to fall, through gravity, upon ice-cutting grid 41. It will be recognized that the spring mounting for the upper end of the ice-cutting grid 41 will absorbthe shock of the weight of the slab falling upon grid 41 to prevent any damage to the wires of sets 43, 44. As the wires of said sets 43, 44 are inconstantly heated condition, the same will effect a cutting of the slab into units, as of cubelike character, with the wires of the upper setfirst cutting the slab into a plurality of elongated, narrow sections, and the latter set cutting the said sections into smaller, ultimate units, which will drop downwardly for accumulation upon bottom wall6 of compartment 0. As the pile of ice units collecting on the bottom of said compartment c reach a predetermined height, the same will be brought into contact with the activating element of a conveniently located thermostatic switch (not shown) for operation of the same to effect an opening of the main circuit of the machine with consequent stoppage of all operations until the cut ice units have been removed to provide space for further production. Thus, by removal of such units from contact with the thermostatic switch, the circuit will be closed and the cyclic operation above described reinstituted. This unique switch arrangement provides a safety element so that operation will be automatically stopped before disruptive and damaging jamming of the machine could occur.

During the defrosting cycle with discontinuance of operation of pump 33 the water in reservoir 34 will rise through reception therein of water from open trough 40 so that the water level will be raised, initiating a syphoning action with water flowing outwardly through syphon 38 causing a flushing of reservoir 34 with ultimate lowering of float valve 35. After said valve 35 has reached a predetermined point in its downward swin ing movement, the same will cause opening of inlet conduit 36 for refilling of reservoir 34, which latter is in timed relation to termination of the defrosting cycle by operation of the timing switch.

The length of the defrost cycle is predetermined, being dependent upon the heat required to release a slab of the preselected thickness. Upon termination of the defrosting action, solenoid valve 58 will be de-energiz/ed thereby closing hot gas conduit 69, with recommencement of flow of liquid refrigerant to plate 14, which will continue until the next ice slab is fully formed. It should be observed that upon termination of defrosting, the control circuit will be closed to water pump 33 thereby reactivating same and causing delivery of water to plate 14 in the manner above described.

An unusual feature of the present invention is the passageway 15 of freezing plate 14, since same is so designed and constructed that it projects outwardly on both sides of said plate 14. Heretofore, in ice making machines incorporating freezing plates of the character described, it has been traditional practice to provide a smooth surface for receiving the water to be frozen, with the refrigerant flowing through a coil or passageway formed of either a single embossment projecting from the opposite sides of the plate or of pipes suitably secured to such plate side. in operation, it has been found consistently that plates of that type have a marked inherent deficiency in that the pressure drop along such coil is of relatively considerable proportions with expected decrease in over-all efficiency. But, with the present invention the pressure drop along passageway 15 is minimal and, in effect, insignificant, thereby conducive to the marked efficiency of the present invention, causing the ice slab to be developed to the desired thickness in rapid fashion.

Thus, ice making machine A represents a substantial advance in the art as it comprises a highly compact unit designed to produce ice slabs of uniform thickness in a very economical and relatively fast manner. The machine of the present invention does not require supervision but operates entirely automatically so that the user will have a constant supply of cut ice units available at all times.

It should be understood that changes and modifications in the formation, construction, arrangement, and combination of the several parts of the ice making machine may be made and substituted for these herein shown and described without departing from the nature and principle of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. An ice making machine comprising a freezing plate presented in inclined relationship to the vertical, said plate integrally incorporating a refrigerant passageway, means for effecting flow of water downwardly across the downwardly presented face of said plate, said means comprising a water distributing device mounted upwardly of the upper end edge of said plate and having an upwardly opening trough with a multi-apertured base, a flat flow plate disposed below said trough, means connecting said flow plate with said freezing plate to provide a continuous flow surface, a water dispersing member located in said trough above the base thereof, said water dispersing member being of less length than said trough and means for delivering water on said water dispersing member.

2. An ice making machine comprising a freezing plate presented in inclined relationship to the vertical, means for effecting flow of water downwardly along the downwardly directed face of said freezing plate, said means comprising a pump connected to a source of water, a water distributing device located above said freezing plate, having an open trough with a multi-apertured base, waterfiow-path establishing means disposed below said trough and connected to said freezing plate, a water discharge pipe disposed above said trough and connected to said pump, and a water dispersion plate presented between said trough base and said discharge pipe, said water dispersion plate being disposed centrally of said trough and being spaced at its ends from the proximate ends of said trough, means for discharging water from said water discharge pipe onto the upper surface of said water dispersion plate.

3. An ice making machine comprising a freezing plate presented in inclined relationship to the vertical, means for effecting flow of Water downwardly along the downwardly directed face of said plate substantially throughout its width, said means comprising a Water distributing device above said plate having an open trough with a horizontal base, said base having a series of spaced apertures throughout its extent, said trough being disposed above said plate transversely thereof, a flat flow plate below said trough base, said flow plate being connected to said freezing'plate to establish a Water-flow-path, a water dispersion plate provided in said trough above said flow plate, a bafiie member located above said water dispersion plate, a source of water, a Water discharge pipe connected to said source of water and presented for discharge of water against said bafile member.

4. An ice making machine as defined in claim 3 and further characterized by said baiile member being of general channel shape with parallel vertically spaced horizontal flanges and an intervening vertical web.

5. An ice making machine as defined in claim 3 and further characterized by said water dispersion plate being of less length than said trough.

6. An ice making machine as defined in claim 3 and further characterized by said water dispersion plate being located centrally of said trough.

7. An ice making machine as defined in claim 3 and further characterized by said water discharge pipe being presented substantially centrally of said trough in virtually axially normal relationship to the main axis of said trough.

8. An ice making machine as defined in claim 4 and further characterized by said bafile member being located centrally of said trough and of less length than said water dispersion plate.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,682,155 Ayres June 29, 1954 2,746,262 Gallo May 22, 1956 2,830,800 Gerhardt Apr. 15, 1958 2,834,189 Jaeger May 13, 1958 2,940,276 Loewenthal June 14, 1960 2,952,988 MacLeod Sept. 20, 1960 2,958,206 Ewing Nov. 1, 1960 2,997,861 Kocher Aug. 29, 1961 3,003,335 Kattis Oct. 10, 1961 

1. AN ICE MAKING MACHINE COMPRISING A FREEZING PLATE PRESENTED IN INCLINED RELATIONSHIP TO THE VERTICAL, SAID PLATE INTEGRALLY INCORPORATING A REFRIGERANT PASSAGEWAY, MEANS FOR EFFECTING FLOW OF WATER DOWNWARDLY ACROSS THE DOWNWARDLY PRESENTED FACE OF SAID PLATE, SAID MEANS COMPRISING A WATER DISTRIBUTION DEVICE MOUNTED UPWARDLY OF THE UPPER END EDGE OF SAID PLATE AND HAVING AN UPWARDLY OPENING TROUGH WITH A MULTI-APERTURE BASE, A FLAT FLOW PLATE DISPOSED BELOW SAID TROUGH, MEANS CONNECTING SAID FLOW PLATE AND SAID FREEZING PLATE TO PROVIDE A CONTINUOUS FLOW SURFACE, A WATER DISPERSING MEMBER LOCATED IN SAID TROUGH ABOVE THE BASE THEREOF, SAID WATER DISPERSING MEMBER BEING OF LESS LENGTH THAN SAID TROUGH AND MEANS FOR DELIVERING WATER ON SAID WATER DISPERSING MEMBER. 